“South Campus Plaza captures a breadth of sustainability issues while improving quality of life for students, faculty, staff and the broader community.”

San Diego State University’s new residence hall at South Campus Plaza has been certified as LEED Silver by the U.S. Green Building Council. The designation recognizes the building for its sustainable operating practices.

The two resident towers of South Campus Plaza opened in January 2017, and include water and energy efficiency features that reduce the building’s impact on the environment. Among the features are a sophisticated lighting control system with occupancy sensors, photo-sensors for daylight harvesting and 100 percent LED lighting. The buildings also have an intelligent and automated heating and cooling system, as well as large windows and water-saving shower heads in the resident rooms.

With the South Campus Plaza residence hall located in a short walking distance from the SDSU Transportation Plaza, residents have easy access to both campus and public transportation options, reducing their reliance on motor vehicles. The buildings also provide special parking for drivers of low emission vehicles and a secure, covered bike storage locker for residents.

SDSU has set a goal that all new construction and major renovations at a minimum achieve LEED Silver designation.

The university recently approved its own Climate Action Plan, which lays out campus-wide environmental goals, including achieving operational carbon neutrality by 2040 and complete carbon neutrality by 2050. This plan also addresses other sustainability issues, including water, waste and food.

"South Campus Plaza captures a breadth of sustainability issues while improving quality of life for students, faculty, staff and the broader community,” said Tom Abram, assistant director of campus sustainability for SDSU Facilities Services. “From energy and water efficiency to transit-oriented development and sustainable commuting, this project exemplifies the work that we need to accomplish to meet our carbon neutrality goals."